Number one! Laif Jones captures mat crown

Sunday

When they talk about the all-time greats of local high school wrestling, Laif Jones will now have to be included in the conversation.

On Saturday, the 120-pound junior dynamo joined the list of Bartlesville High School mat champions during a workmanlike — and masterly — performance at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds.

How dominating?

Jones didn’t allow a point scored on him in nine periods of action at state.

He opened up by grinding past Tulsa Union’s CaRon Watson in the quarterfinals, 2-0, and then powered by Garrett Johnson (Edmond Memorial), 3-0.

In Saturday’s final, Jones outlasted Zeke Washington (Owasso), 3-0, to claim Bartlesville’s first state title since Mike Hamilton in the early 2010’s.

Jones also notched his 40th win (40-3) of the season.

Last year, Jones got his feet wet at state by placing in the top four, also in the 120-pound group.

This season, Jones competed like a man on a mission of ambition.

Displaying a style defined partly by technician, partly by samurai and partly by gladiator, Jones fashioned a string of glittering victories that stretched from the November preseason tournaments to the state tournament.